Half-Alive
by The Writer Keeps Writing
Summary: Broken and destroyed puppets that were left behind had no choice but to stick to each other; only so were they able to survive. [AU, implied SouHaru]


A single touch was all he needed to break down into tears. Some words of supposed comfort was all he needed to rely on him although it was the last thing he expected himself to do.

_A hug was enough to make him cling to him for dear life._

Where was his best friend when he needed him? Away. Where was his childhood friend when he was crying? Elsewhere. Where were his former team comrades? Probably having a good time somewhere else.

_Who would have thought his hater would become to be his only reason to keep standing?_

Nobody had to know. Outside, he was his usual stoic fellow everyone grew to love, but what happened on the inside? His world was crashing down. His best friend was moving forward, his childhood friend was already world-wide known, his comrades had become an inspiration for their team. And where was he? Looking at the rain drip down.

_There's no way anyone would understand this pain._

That's what he thought, anyways. How could someone deal with their whole world crashing down? He didn't know what was even going on;suddenly, the water was dead for him, fire had instead burn all of his passion for it, and why was that? Why is it that his life-long comfort cannot reach to him the way it did before?

_Haruka is human._

And so, he had feelings. He loved, he hated, he _missed_. Everyone was taking a step forward, everyone was already out of his reach.

_But he wasn't the only one who felt this way. He was not the only one left behind._

"All you have to do is swim; you can still do that" The voice of the owner was grim, but it spoke true words the other one did not want to hear but knew that they were true. He wasn't the one who destroyed his own shoulder, anyways.

"..." How did it come to this? How were they in this position.

_How was he able to put out the fire that had engulfed him so easily?_

The rain was falling slowly and crashing hardly against the floor outside his house that had kept them both safe from its harsh drops. It was a cold morning, or was already afternoon? Haruka himself had no idea for just how long have he seated in that same spot with both of his own arms around himself, holding him tightly. While the other one offered to do that as before, he rejected him.

_He was afraid._

"You're trembling" The deep voice of Sousuke resonated, and dragged the depressed dolphin out of his thoughts. Slowly, he reached out his hand, and quicker than a bolt, the other one reached out to hold on it tightly.

_Will you hold on my hand one more time?_

The words between both of them were useless; at this point, they already understood each other well. Today wasn't the first time they mourned together about their lost futures, and that thought alone was enough to send them both down to the worst moods.

_But there was still a light._

A destroyed shoulder and a broken passion wasn't enough to throw them down, though. The man had become a police officer, and was in a condition well enough to do his job well. The smaller one was still recovering, but he had another passion he never developed hidden somewhere inside him and his home, more specifically in his hands and his drawing tools.

_But is this what they want?_

That...they did not know. But they were now but destiny's worn out puppets. There was no choice but to stick with common positions they did not exactly wanted to be in; and yet, at the same time, it was somehow comforting.

_The thought of being useful somehow was enough to keep them breathing._

More than once they were told the destiny just had a better card saved for them.

_But when would it come?_

Destiny sure was cruel, that was something they were able to comfirm themselves; or perphaps, as human as they are, they just needed someone or _something _to blame it to. The guilt was just too much for them; they never knew it would be this hard.

_Moving on, that's what._

His hand lost the strong grip it had with the smaller boy's hand and that's what made him react badly.

_"Stay still with me"_

Their hand's fingers interwined by now. What was this? Comfort? Confusion? Were they just seeking something or _someone _able to fill in the hole that was left in their hearts? Were they just trying to prove the world two is better than one? Or were they just together because they were the ones left behind, the ones that can't stand up for themselves anymore?

_Is that even true, anyways?_

They were not defeated. They were down, yes. They had tripped, and they were still lying on the ground, _yes. _But that didn't mean fight was over. Silently, they were going to stand up, together if they were needed to; they would break free out of the trap the cruel destiny had set them in.

_Broken, destroyed they were; Dead, they were not._

"Stay still with me" He softly whispered again, his touch as gentle as it could be. He didn't know why his heart fluttered; why this kid he used to find confusing suddenly became someone very important in his life, in more ways than one.

_Since when was Sousuke so special?_

"I will" That response made Haruka smile. It was neither too wide or too small, nor was it too happy or too sad, but it was a smile nonetheless, and that was something that had vanished from his face days- no, _weeks _ago. He partly smiled because the former Samezuka swimmer smiled at him too.

_We will not be left behind. We will stand; we will rise._

The clouds's tears became faster now; the raining became harder, which forced them to go inside and close all of the doors and windows.

Now, they were alone. They were face to face; blue eyes met teal ones, both pairs seemingly shinning in the now dark living room. Words were not needed, only proof, evidence of what they had promised to themselves was needed.

_Stay still with me._

* * *

**Yaaay another sense-less fic for SouHaru! I originally made this fanfic account to write Vocaloid but it seems my plan backfired and I write only SouHaru pahaha. **

**This fic was inspired by the song "Half-Life" by Kenji-B ft. AVANNA.**

**Fic's background: AU where Rin did not take Haru to Australia and therefore was never able to find peace between himself and his swimming, making him drop it. Rin became a member of the Australian team, Rei and Nagisa are still at Iwatobi and Makoto is in Tokyo. Sousuke sticked around the place and they (Sou and Haru) slowly saw each other's problems lighter when sharing them with someone who was in a somewhat similar situation. A stange bond of sorts formed since then. And yes, mild FutureFish!SouHaru hahah.**

**If you ask me, this is all romantic and totes SouHaru lol but take it as you want! Either impliedfeelings!SouHaru or friendship!SouHaru -u-;; I hope you liked this! Sorry if it makes no sense at all ;w;''**


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